Switching to a flip cellphone is not as laborious as you assume. But you would possibly miss having GPS

Updated August 12, 2025 at 11:37 AM EDT

This story was initially revealed on August 8, 2024, and has been up to date.

Your smartphone is designed to suck you in. You would possibly decide it as much as shortly verify the climate, solely to seek out your self an hour later scrolling by means of TikTok.

If you “want a break from the digital world and need a change of lifestyle,” take into account switching to a primary cellphone, says Jose Briones, creator of Low Tech Life: A Guide to Mindful Digital Minimalism. Also referred to as dumbphones (a time period that Merriam-Webster added to its dictionary in 2022), these lower-tech units don’t embrace most of the apps sometimes discovered on smartphones.

Briones, who’s a primary cellphone person and the moderator of the discussion board r/dumbphones on Reddit, explains what individuals ought to find out about these units earlier than making the transition.

The fundamentals of primary telephones

You may be questioning: What the heck is a primary cellphone? Briones presents a litmus take a look at: in case your machine has an app retailer, it is a smartphone, he says. If not, it is a primary cellphone.

• What do primary telephones seem like? They are inclined to have small screens which can be much less attractive to spend time on, and often seem like the flip telephones or Nokia telephones you may need had earlier than smartphones existed.

• What are the options? They mean you can make cellphone calls and textual content. But totally different fashions have totally different options. Some supply the flexibility to go looking the web, play mp3 recordsdata, take notes, set an alarm or search for instructions.

• Can I simply use the outdated Nokia I had once I was in highschool? Probably not, says Briones. “Nowadays, a lot of providers like AT&T or T-Mobile will not activate older 2G or 3G devices.” So be sure that no matter cellphone you get has a 4G LTE connection.

• How do I do know which cellphone is true for me? Make a list of all of the apps that you simply really use in your smartphone. Then look for easy units which have a few of these capabilities. There are a variety of fashions on the market: flip telephones just like the CAT S22 or Sunbeam F1 Horizon, “candy bar” telephones just like the Nokia 110 4G and the Light Phone, which appears to be like like a small e-reader. Briones, who additionally evaluations primary telephones, has a short quiz on his website that may enable you to make the choice, based mostly on elements like value vary, wants and magnificence.

• How a lot do they value? Roughly $20, although the cheaper ones will probably be much less customizable, Briones says. Simple telephones with extra performance, common updates and firm assist can value $100 or extra.

You haven’t got to make use of a primary cellphone 24/7

A number of us depend on our cellphone as a digital camera, a GPS, a music participant and an alarm clock. We use it for work and to speak with our mates. So it might really feel scary to depart our smartphones behind.

Don’t fear, says Briones. You haven’t got to make use of your primary cellphone on a regular basis.

Some individuals use a smartphone in the course of the week and a easy cellphone on the weekends, after they wish to unplug.

Or they use a primary cellphone for almost all of the time, however swap to a smartphone in moments after they would possibly want extra apps. For instance, in case you’re on trip, chances are you’ll want a smartphone to entry to your flight data, translate the language or enable you to discover your method round.

Decide the way you wish to break up your time together with your smartphone and your primary cellphone. If you land on having two telephones, Briones says you’ll be able to join two cellphone strains with separate numbers. Alternatively — and relying on the cellphone mannequin — you will get a bodily SIM card and swap it out between your telephones.

Find inventive (and analog) workarounds to your digital wants

Using a primary cellphone will have an effect on your way of life. You will not have entry to most of the instruments {that a} smartphone supplies, not less than not in your cellphone. Briones shares some inventive options.

• Lean into the analog a part of what it means to have a primary cellphone. Get an old-school alarm clock to wake you up within the morning. Carry round a disposable digital camera to take images. Bring again your outdated MP3 participant to hearken to music. Use a GPS machine like a Garmin.
• Find the workarounds to important apps. If you determine to get probably the most primary of telephones and wish to get an Uber, for instance, know that you would be able to order a automotive by cellphone (dial 1-833-USE-UBER). You can even name a cab firm. If your employer requires you to make use of a smartphone with an authenticator app to log into the corporate’s web or e-mail, ask your IT division in the event that they can provide you a {hardware} safety token as a substitute. Those are physical security keys you’ll be able to plug into your pc and faucet as a second type of verification after your password.
• Use apps in your pc. If you must attend a Zoom assembly, chat with somebody on Skype or promote a lamp on Facebook Marketplace, you do not have to do it in your cellphone. Download the apps to your laptop computer or desktop and get the work executed there.

Alert mates and colleagues about your new cellphone

One of the largest challenges chances are you’ll face with a primary cellphone is that you will be much less accessible, not less than on sure apps. And that would frustrate mates, household and colleagues who wish to attain you, says Briones.

Tell your employer that you simply’d like to make use of a primary cellphone as an experiment, says Briones. See what occurs together with your productiveness and together with your relationships at work. After every week or two, “if everything improves, that’s an argument to continue in this direction.”

Set expectations with mates, household and your employers about how shortly they’ll count on you to answer messages now that you’re utilizing a primary cellphone, together with what hours you may be accessible and how one can finest be reached.

This could also be tough to do, says Briones, however “this is a moment where you have to say, ‘I am slowing down in my communication practices and I want you to respect that.’ “

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This episode was produced by Margaret Cirino. The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visible editor is Beck Harlan. We’d love to listen to from you. Leave us a voicemail at (202) 216-9823, or e-mail us at LifeKit@npr.org.

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